The Department of Defense announced today the
death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Major John C. Spahr, 42, of Cherry Hill, New
Jersey, died May 2, 2005, from injuries received when the F/A-18 Hornet
aircraft he was piloting apparently crashed in Iraq. He was assigned
to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 323, Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine
Aircraft Wing, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California. His
unit was embarked aboard the U.S.S. Carl Vinson.

Media with questions about this Marine can
call the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Public Affairs Office at (858)
577-7542 during working hours and(858) 864-3406 after working hours.
Former Blue Hen dies in crash in IraqFrom staff and wire reports5 May 2005 Cherry Hill, New Jersey - Major John
Charles Spahr, a Marine Corps pilot, New Jersey native, and University
of Delaware alumnus, was little more than a month shy of ending his second
tour of duty in Iraq.

The 18-year Marine Corps veteran was soon to
be promoted to lieutenant colonel, relatives said, and looked forward to
returning to his home in San Diego and seeing his 9-year-old daughter.

Spahr, 42, was one of two pilots to die in
what officials have described as a midair collision Monday evening. Each
pilot was flying a single-seat F/A-18 Hornet fighter when radio contact
was lost.

Spahr completed a bachelor's degree in physical
education at UD, where he also was a quarterback on the football team.
He went on to earn a master's degree there in exercise physiology. But
Stephen Spahr said his brother was fascinated by the idea of flight, and
joined the Marines at 24.

Former Delaware football coach Tubby Raymond,
who hadn't spoken to Spahr in many years but knew he was a Marine, was
saddened to learn that he had died.

"He was a great kid," said Raymond, who retired
as Delaware coach after the 2001 season. "He really had two lives for us,
one where he was a very efficient backup quarterback and the other [as
a starter] in which things didn't go well for him. But he was always a
class man. He was your quintessential Marine -- clean-cut, straightforward.
I couldn't fault him for anything."

Spahr's remains were scheduled to arrive today
at Dover Air Force Base, where an autopsy will be performed to try to help
determine what happened 30,000 feet in the air half a world away.

His brother said Spahr never expressed fear
or doubt about his mission.

"He believed in his commander in chief. He
said, 'My boss says I go, I go,' " his brother said.

"He enjoyed flying that plane and was going
to make a career of it," Stephen Spahr said. "He did make a career of it,
but it was cut short."

Spahr is survived by his daughter, mother,
brother, four sisters and much extended family. Relatives said he will
be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, but funeral arrangements were
incomplete.
SPAHR, JOHN CHARLESLTCOL US MARINE CORPSDATE OF BIRTH: 01/09/1963DATE OF DEATH: 05/02/2005BURIED AT: SECTION 60 SITE 8183ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY